2018-04387. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

NARA is giving public notice that it has submitted to OMB for approval the information collection described in this notice. We invite you to comment on the proposed information collection pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

OMB must receive written comments at the address below on or before April 4, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments to Mr. Nicholas A. Fraser, desk officer for NARA, by mail to Office of Management and Budget; New Executive Office Building; Washington, DC 20503; fax to 202-395-5167; or by email to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct requests for additional information or copies of the proposed information collection and supporting statement to Tamee Fechhelm by phone at 301-837-1694 or by fax at 301-837-0319.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), NARA invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed information collections. We published a notice of proposed collection for this information collection on December 29, 2017 (82 FR 61799); and we received no comments. We have therefore submitted the described information collection to OMB for approval.

In response to this notice, comments and suggestions should address one or more of the following points: (a) Whether the proposed information collection is necessary for NARA to properly perform its functions; (b) NARA's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection and its accuracy; (c) ways NARA could enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information it collects; (d) ways NARA could minimize the burden on respondents of collecting the information, including the through information technology; and (e) whether the collection affects small businesses. In this notice, NARA solicits comments concerning the following information collection:

Title: Request Pertaining to Military Records.

OMB number: 3095-0029.

Agency form number: SF 180 & NA Form 13176.

Type of review: Regular.

Affected public: Veterans, their authorized representatives, state and local governments, and businesses.

Estimated number of respondents: 1,028,769.

Estimated time per response: 5 minutes.

Frequency of response: On occasion (when respondent wishes to request information from a military personnel record).

Estimated total annual burden hours: 85,731 hours.

Abstract: The authority for this information collection is contained in 36 CFR 1233.18(d). In accordance with rules issued by the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS, US Coast Guard), the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) administers military service records of veterans after discharge, retirement, and death. When veterans and other authorized individuals request information from or copies of documents in military service records, they must provide in forms or in letters certain information about the veteran and the nature of the request. Federal agencies, military departments, veterans, veterans' organizations, and the general public use Standard Forms (SF) 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records, in order to obtain information from military service records stored at NPRC. Veterans and next-of-kin of deceased veterans can also use eVetRecs (http://www.archives.gov/​research_​room/​vetrecs/​) to order copies. A new form, NA Form 13176, Status Update to Request for Military Service Records, was added to allow the veteran or other authorized individuals to follow-up on their request.

Swarnali Haldar,

Executive for Information Services/CIO.